


The Beginning

by sarcasticfirefighter



Series: Of Mischief and Secrets [1]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Character Study, Cloak is not amused, Cloak learns about Stephen Strange, Gen, Hurt Stephen Strange, Injury Recovery, Nonverbal Communication, POV Cloak of Levitation, tho analyzed the shit out of Strange
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:09:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24198763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarcasticfirefighter/pseuds/sarcasticfirefighter
Summary: The Ancient One introduces Stephen Vincent Strange. Kinda.He's an asshole, the Cloak immediately decides.
Relationships: Ancient One & Cloak of Levitation, Cloak of Levitation & Stephen Strange
Series: Of Mischief and Secrets [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1752400
Comments: 4
Kudos: 106





	The Beginning

The Cloak of Levitation did not intent to piss off the sorcerers.

The time without a new master tended to be a long process. So to take some relief from its tedious waiting, it mischievously plotted to play hide and seek. It took a few other relics and hid them around Kamar-Taj. Normally it tried to maintain a cool act and not disturb the busy sorcerers. That day however impatience won. Its attempt too bothersome, resulted in the imprisonment behind the glass exposition. It could break free, if it wanted to roam freely around the place but decided to play along. For now.

The Cloak liked to mess with humans. They were very entertaining, sometimes acting foolish and oblivious, not learning from their previous mistakes. It had spent centuries observing them, doing mundane tasks, continuously gathering the knowledge regarding mortals and their world. Learning new incantations has been proving resourceful to expand its protection against the upcoming threats.

In a way, it was weary. Living as a magical relic tended to be a rather lonesome existence. The cycle was easy enough: it was chosen by a sorcerer’s aura and drawn to them for the duration of their lifespan. It became the master’s protector and companion.

In the future, the Cloak would be astonished that Stephen Strange had also become a dear friend.

When the Ancient One visited, it was shortly after accepting the former doctor at Kamar-Taj. At that time it didn’t know about his presence and the impact he’s gonna have on it, the Earth and the whole Multiverse.

“To that one, acceptance may seem like a fruitless task,” she said ominously.

If the Cloak could roll its eyes, they would have fallen from the eye sockets. Sadly, it didn’t even have a corporal body. On a rare occasion, it envied not being human. Thus, by modeling the human behaviour, it adapted to convey the meaning into the movements of the red fabric. The gestures representing its physical presence had to be enough. Admittedly, the Cloak was extremely proud of itself for doing so and it was always hard to contain its excitement after being understood or communicated with. It wasn’t your usual relic. When the sorcerers of the Mystic Arts gave it the label of being sentient, it preened with utter joy.

She only chuckled in response. The woman had her own ways to understand it. The Dark Dimension, perhaps.

“You have to be patient, it’ll take him a while,” she continued, “but I strongly believe the soon to be Master Strange will be exceptional.”

The Cloak felt increasing excitement at her words. Does it really mean it won’t stay there another decade, hidden behind the glass container?

The Ancient One nodded. “Both of you are going to be compatible. It’ll take time on Strange’s part. He has much to learn.”

After all, it’s not like you become a sorcerer in a day, the Cloak mused.

“Indeed,” she agreed, used to the relic’s attitude. “I’d like to show you Stephen’s journey. Without doubt, both of you benefit from it. But it’s not an easy road.”

The Cloak hesitated. Show? Didn’t it mean violating the man’s privacy?

“Other measures have to be taken into consideration. Sometimes, not the ones we are comfortable with,” the Ancient One responded, then added in a softer voice, “it won’t harm him in any way. Much more later, he will know about this and understand the necessity.”

Something in the Cloak’s demeanor must have alarmed her because she said, “Stephen won’t hold it against you.”

Finally, it made a gesture as in saying, “Alright, go ahead.” It hoped she was right.

It was strange (ha!) to already form some sort of a bond to a man the Cloak of Levitation has never met before. It used to take a lot of time to create some sort of an alliance with each new master. However, even the mentions of the man allowed to present a rough vision of the person who’s trustful and powerful. Clearly, the Ancient One sees the potential of Strange getting very far on the paths of the Mystic Arts.

It realized the mysterious woman never praised somebody, not like this. Then… why would she do that in front of it? Oh.

_Oh!_

“Yes,” she said curtly, her mouth crooked in a slight smile and surprisingly dared herself to tell about his minor titles. With a few effortless motions she performed the spell (that the fresh adepts would dream of being able to cast), making it privy to the past life of Stephen Vincent Strange; before the misery pushed him towards the Mystic Arts.

Eugene and Beverly Strange lived on the farm in Nebraska. Beverly Strange gave birth to three children: Stephen, Donna and Victor. Stephen was the eldest of them, while Victor being the youngest and the last child.

The Cloak observed how its soon to be master grew up. The Strangers were far from being the perfect family, it noted. The boy had to take everything his strict father said for granted. The abuse followed shortly. Disobedience was punished, slowly drilling into the boy’s mind that only perfection mattered, rigorously to be expected of him. He developed the cocky attitude.

The Cloak found itself pitying the child. He didn’t deserve it; Stephen was a really bright boy, absorbing knowledge like a sponge, driven by the passion for the human body which gave its first seed of interest when he helped his sister with some minor injury.

It only got worse when Donna drowned. He was unable to save her, didn’t look for a few moments and it resulted in her death. Blame followed, his own and his parents harsh words caused the irreparable drift between them. He left and never looked back.

As the time flew by, Stephen simultaneously got his M.D. and Ph.D. The man was a force to be reckoned with, immensely focused on his medical career and increasing prestige. He became a world renovated neurosurgeon. Strange maintained the perfect record of treated conditions, never resulting in death. He could deal with post-op complications splendidly but the failure of killing somebody was unacceptable. It could happen to somebody else, that was why he gave away some of the cases to less experienced surgeons who were happy to accept something from the famous Doctor Strange as it clearly would help expand their careers. How mistaken they were. He also let them deal with boring cases, not worth his attention, yet to see the admiration written on their eager faces was the real treat.

In all, Strange was surrounded by luxury and wealth, drawn by speed of the most expensive sports cars, the watches collection he didn’t need, showing off during medical conferences and galas, drunk on his own power and possibilities.

Stephen Strange was an asshole, the Cloak decided. _This_ is its master? The prideful doctor, undoubtedly a genius when it comes to his field of study and other things he puts his mind into but still, a total jerk. The Cloak didn’t think it wanted to know him. It knew people were very different and knew that Stephen’s upbringing didn’t help to become the kindest person but this man didn’t even seem human, nor free or happy. He wore an armor.

That change of perspective allowed to shift the focus to the core being of Stephen Strange. He was quick-witted, snarky and sarcastic. Often got into arguments and fights. Looking for mental stimulation, the Cloak concluded. It meant he’s a sharp problem solver which could be useful when he learns magic. Once he put his mind to something, he couldn’t let it go, that being a blessing but also a curse. His intelligence and photographic memory will be greatly useful during research. Stephen’s approach won’t get him many friends, maybe one like the complicated relationship with Christine Palmer, but he will get the specific obligations done. Surely, he’d be able to bargain if needed.

More importantly, as a doctor who took and had been respecting the Hippocratic Oath, he will try to help people and by that reasoning – protect the Multiverse. There may be the problem with killing if completely necessary, the burden of being a sorcerer filled with heavy decisions. But it’s not like the Cloak can do something about that right now. To be solved in the future, it thought.

To see the crack in his carefully built mask, the Cloak had to pay close attention. It almost missed it but deep inside, _Stephen Strange cared_. The facade of indifference acted as a shield from the world, making it hard to connect to people. Christine Palmer kept expanding the crack, unnoticed to Stephen's eyes. It was a testimony to Eugene Strange’s failure to get rid of his son’s weaknesses.

Given enough time, Strange would be able to amend himself. While growing and changing, hopefully for the better, on the path to be the best defender the Earth ever had. The Ancient One wouldn’t lie about his role.

The Cloak watched as the red Lamborghini kept speeding in the pouring rain. The confident man not slowing down, even while talking on the phone with his assistant, then recklessly looking at the case Billy sent over. The road accident happened in the blink of the eye, the owner of the other car mercifully spared serious consequences, while Strange lost the control over the steering wheel, crashing into the barrier that didn’t hold enough to stop its forceful impact. The Lamborghini flipped over, the glass shattered into pieces, the car diving straight into the water with the barely conscious doctor.

So that was the turning point, the Cloak observed as Strange raged on the hospital bed, delirious with pain and hatred. Several nerve damage beyond reparation, the golden hours for the recovery missed, eleven stainless steel pins in his digits. The angry scars visible for everybody, the torment of never-ending tremors. He pushed everybody who dared to pity him. Inevitably, the moment of inattention costed the neurosurgeon his precious hands.

Stephen Strange was a persistent human being, desperately trying to regain what had been lost. Ultimately, it lead to Jonathan Pangborn and the one-way journey to Nepal, to the sorcerers and the Ancient One. The training had begun, difficult to grasp to the analytical brain of the true scientist at a heart.

The images vanished. The Ancient One looked at the Cloak with unreadable expression.

“You and Stephen are very alike,” she stated.

If it had a mouth, the Cloak would _snarl_. The cheek of that woman! Unbelievable.

The Ancient One chuckled lightly, clearly not fooled by its dramatics.

Before taking her leave, she added, “Seeing right through each other is truly a gift.”

The relic just waved in a parting motion. It was never able to fool her.

Truth be told, it couldn’t wait to properly meet its appointed master, the Master of the New York Sanctum, the Protector of the Eye of Agamotto and the Time Stone but more importantly, the next Sorcerer Supreme.

Later the Cloak of Levitation is going to realize that Doctor Stephen Strange is also the dumbest idiot it had ever the pleasure of knowing.

**Author's Note:**

> It a relicc.  
> It attacc.  
> It protecc.  
> It done as hecc.
> 
> :D
> 
> The aim was to not detail Stephen's life unless something worth mentioning. As for the Strange family, I haven't read comics, you have to deal with it, so that's why there was so little of them based on stumbling upon some info and what I've felt being accurate & in character. Also, I hope I handled the Ancient One not so badly but the time will tell.
> 
> Kudos & comments make the author happy and help with the writing process.
> 
> Also, what's this? A series status? Huh.


End file.
